Christmas Charade
by notenoughpotter
Summary: Written as part of the Damon/Elena Holiday Exchange Elena Gilbert comes home for the annual Mystic Falls' Children's Hospital fundraiser. Sparks fly when she discovers she's not the only celebrity home for the event. After being separated for two years, the pair is forced to work together…and pretend to get along. Is it easier said than done or will it lead to something more?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Wow, it's been a while since I've posted anything here. I'm currently between deadlines, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to participate in this holiday event again this year. I believe this story will be comprised of 4 (rather short) chapters. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy holidays!

Written as part of the Damon and Elena Holiday Exchange 2013

Prompt: Elena and Damon are celebrities (co-stars, singer/songwriters who've collaborated, people of note who have worked together in some capacity) who despise each other behind-the-scenes, for whatever reason (that's up to you). They're forced by their respective management teams to volunteer together in a homeless shelter during the holiday season for publicity, and every eye will be upon them, media and fan alike, so they have to convince the world they're the best of friends, maybe more... until the façade becomes reality for the both of them.

Rating: Teen

* * *

Elena Gilbert carefully tucked her shoulder-length hair beneath her baseball cap as she waited for the seatbelt sign to click off overhead. She clutched her carry-on bag in her lap, ready to make a quick escape. At least three people in the first-class cabin had recognized her. She was certain of it. She'd know the signs of fans trying to be discreet while snapping a photo David would later show her on Twitter. Blending in was infinitely easier when her hair was longer, now it seemed to be intent on sneaking out from beneath whatever hat she chose to wear. Once she could get away with flying with no makeup and in whatever she'd been wearing while desperately rushing to pack her hotel room.

Not anymore. Flying required full make-up, designer clothes, and the ability to move with the speed of light.

The flight attendant approached the cabin door, and Elena was ready. It wasn't that she disliked her fans, but stopping for a single photograph could quickly result in what David liked to call a _situation. _As the first hint of winter-cold air rushed into the cabin, Elena stood and ducked out from her seat.

"Thank you for flying with us Miss Gilbert." The sandy-haired attendant had been overly helpful, but by standing and blocking the rest of the passengers, the young man won Elena's eternal favor.

"Thank you," Elena paused to read the golden nametag, "Nick. You've been great."

"Just doing my job." Apparently his job included physically blocking anyone else from exiting until Elena was several feet up the jetway. She'd have to call the airline to compliment him later today. After spending what seemed like half her life on one plane or another, she knew employees like Nick were few and far between.

But he couldn't stall the rest of the passengers forever. She hurried through the hallway, relieved to see a rather sparse crowd at the airport. Taking the redeye had its benefits. She almost made it through the baggage claim before she was stopped.

"Excuse me, can I get your autograph?" A soft voice accompanied a light tugging on Elena's sweater. Someone from the plane was walking faster than she was. Damn these heels. It was so much easier when she could just wear tennis shoes and yoga pants.

"Of course." Elena turned to find a young girl who couldn't have been older than 10. These were the fans she didn't mind stopping for, since she knew that most of their autographs would actually be going home with the recipient instead of trying to be sold online somewhere. "Do you want a picture too?"

"Do you mind?" An older woman cringed through her excitement.

"Not at all." Elena slid her ball cap off as she knelt down next to the girl. Her smile widened as she caught sight of a face she didn't expect to see—not at this time of the morning.

"Thank you." The little girl and her mother waved as they walked away.

"You're welcome." Elena stood and glanced over her shoulder, hoping the rest of the passengers wouldn't take her stopping to take one photo as an invitation. Later this week, they could get as many pictures as they'd like, but right now, she was tired, hungry and anxious to see familiar faces she'd been separated from for far too long.

"Ric!" She ran toward her uncle, shaking her head. "I told you I could take a cab."

"Do you honestly think Jenna would agree with that?" He wrapped her in a hug, his unshaven cheeks knocking her cap to the ground.

"I never would have scheduled myself to land this early if I thought she would have made you come pick me up."

Ric shook his head and laughed. Faint webs of lines crinkling at the corner of his eyes were the only hints of the passing of time since she'd met him. After the stress of the last few years, she was surprised his hair wasn't gray. "Really, don't worry about it. Brenna woke us up before 5. Something about _her _Elena coming to visit."

Excited whispers behind her prompted Elena to start moving.

"Wait, don't we need to get the rest of your bags?" After years of knowing Elena, he'd learned that she didn't exactly know the definition of traveling light.

Elena cringed. "Apparently they decided they weren't ready to leave Paris yet. Someone from the airline's going to be delivering them tomorrow." A hesitant look fell over her face. "I gave them your address. I hope that's okay."

Alaric took Elena's single bag from her and hoisted it onto his shoulder. "You know you're always welcome, but you might be more comfortable in a hotel."

"You've got to be kidding." Elena raised an eyebrow and waited as the automatic door hissed open. "It's been almost a year since I slept somewhere that wasn't a hotel."

"As long as you're sure." Alaric inclined his head in the direction of his SUV.

"I'm sure."

"So, were you planning on going straight to the hospital?"

"Can we run by your house first? I've been in these clothes since yesterday. I'd really love a shower and maybe a nap."

"Sounds like a plan." Alaric opened the door for Elena before tossing her bag into the seat behind her. He circled the car and hopped into the driver's seat. "You have no idea how much this trip means to Jenna."

After turning to study the traffic behind him, he put the car in gear and began backing out of the parking space. "Carol Lockwood has been a little _possessive _of the Children's Hospital fundraiser. Jenna was lucky that Carol finally let her schedule the celebrity guest." He winked in Elena's direction. "Guess it didn't hurt that we have a celebrity in the family."

Elena sighed and pulled the hat off her head, running her fingers through the still-surprisingly short, dark locks. She waved off the comment about her celebrity status and closed her eyes. "No star stuff. When I'm here, I'm just Elena."

"Just Elena. Check." But she wasn't listening any longer. She was already pushed back in her seat with her eyelids tightly closed. He studied the dark circles beneath Elena's eyes, hoping most of the fatigue was due to the 24 hours she'd spent flying, but knowing that much of it was likely due to the insane production schedule she'd been subjected to while filming. He'd only heard bits and pieces of her conversations with Jenna, but he'd heard enough to know that Jenna was more than a little concerned about her niece.

* * *

"Elena."

"Elena."

It only took twenty minutes to get to the house from the airport. He was amazed how quickly she'd fallen asleep. Alaric reached over and gave his niece a gentle shake. "Elena."

"Sorry." Elena blinked in response. "Didn't know I fell asleep. There was a baby in first class." She offered as a way of explanation before she stretched and looked out the front window. A wide smile broke over her face. It had been far too long since she'd crossed the familiar front porch. "It's good to finally have an excuse to come home."

"You're always welcome here."

She turned and reached behind her, taking hold of her bag. "Try telling that to David."

"He makes you work too hard." Alaric chided, stepping out of the car.

"It's kind of part of the business." Elena followed Alaric up the stairs. "I've gotta work while people want me."

"I guess." Alaric unlocked the door and waited for Elena to cross the threshold.

A ball of black fur bounded toward her. If either of the girls were still asleep, they weren't any longer. Elena braced herself against the excited greeting from the Chocolate Labrador. "Roxie. Roxie. Yes, it's good to see you too."

"Elena!" Jenna followed right behind the dog, tossing a rubber frog distract the excited pet. "It's so good to see you." She reached out to wrap her niece in a hug but was interrupted by a chorus of squeals and giggles.

"Laina! Laina! Laina!"

"It's _Elena." _Brenna corrected her little sister.

"She can call me whatever she wants." Elena bent down and scooped her youngest almost-niece into her arms. "You've gotten so big!" She was more thankful than ever for the ability to Facetime, but it couldn't compare with actually seeing the little girls in person.

"Off…off…off." Jenna shooed her older daughter away while taking Delaney out of Elena's arms. "When's the last time you slept?"

"Does Ric's car count?"

"No." Jenna nodded up the stairs, sounding more like a mother than she ever did when Elena and Jeremy were in her care. Of course, she'd had five years of practice now. "The press conference isn't till 2. You can sleep till one…"

"Um, maybe noon. Getting camera-ready takes time."

"Alright." Jenna straightened the lace on Delaney's nightgown. "That gives you almost six hours. Take advantage of it."

Jenna didn't have to tell her twice. Elena tossed her bag in its traditional place on her window seat and collapsed on the bed, falling asleep instantly, not even giving the upcoming press conference a second thought.

* * *

"The press conference is today. The breakfast with Santa is on Saturday, and the parade is Sunday?" Elena waited for Jenna's nod of agreement with each item she checked off on her phone's calendar.

"Then the toy drop-off is next Wednesday. And we wrap up the two weeks with the candlelight ball on the 22nd." Jenna provided the rest of the itinerary.

"I'd forgotten what it's like to live here. Do you ever sleep?"

"After Christmas." Jenna laughed, but then her face took on a serious note. "Seriously, Elena, I can't thank you enough for doing this. I know…with your schedule…"

"No. It's nothing." Elena reached out and patted the back of Jenna's hand, watching as the once-familiar sights of her hometown rushed past. Maybe she should have told Jenna to wake her up at eleven. "The children's hospital means a lot to all the family. I wanted to help."

They peeled into the parking lot just as Carol Lockwood shut the door of her gold-trimmed Lexus. She had her phone pressed to her ear, and she was talking almost loud enough for Elena to hear her across the expansive space.

"If we hurry, she won't know we're late." Jenna pointed toward the side entrance to the hospital, and Elena jogged alongside, laughing conspiratorially.

Elena pointed to her left as the door closed softly behind them. "This way." She'd spent enough time in this hospital. She could make her way down the corridors in her sleep.

Just before arriving in the conference room scheduled to be used for the press conference, Elena ducked into the bathroom to check her appearance. Hair curled just right…check. Christmas red lipstick…check. Dress smoothed…check. She took a breath to get into dealing-with-the-press-mode and rejoined Jenna.

"Elena." The gleeful expression was gone from Jenna's face. She reached out to take hold of Elena's arm, but it was too late. "I didn't know. Carol just told me."

Elena had already stepped around the corner. Blue eyes locked with brown. Elena froze mid-step. "Oh no. This is _not _happening. Not a chance."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Sorry for the unexpected delay. I only _thought _I was finished with my edits, but now I really am…I think. I'm hoping to have the next three chapters wrapped up prior to Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed.

Happy reading!

Warnings: mild language, alcohol use, Stefan

Rating: Teen

* * *

Elena took one step back, then two and three. Before her brain totally registered what she was doing, she'd ducked down a side corridor and found herself halfway to the outdoor courtyard. Trying to be as quiet as she could, she threw open the door and headed for the bench—her bench. Her bench that had been there for all the difficult days in the past. The bench that would be the perfect place for now.

Her breath whirled around her head in a cloud of white smoke while she pressed the keypad with shaking fingertips. The nerve of him. She'd been announced as the celebrity guest for the hospital months ago. No one had whispered a word about _him _being there. Figures. He probably heard about her trip home from Stefan and decided that he wanted his share of the publicity.

He could be such an ass.

Her manager's face sprung up on the screen of her phone as it rang. He was lucky she'd been practicing her meditation. Otherwise, he was about to get an earful that the kids would be able to hear even in the depths of the radiology department. But that wouldn't have been fair to the kids.

"Elena! How's my favorite client?" David's voice oozed like butter melting on a piece of toast. "Aren't you supposed to be in a press conference right about now?"

She had to give him credit. His voice only had the mildest hint of concern. "Probably."

"Now, Elena…."

_Crap! _He knew. Otherwise, he wouldn't be using his _taming the talent _tone to his voice. "You know he's here."

"I saw a mock-up of the poster last week. Wait! Wait! Wait!" He'd been her manager for much too long. He practically screamed into the phone as her finger hovered over the button to end the call. "Damon was a last-minute addition to the event. I knew that if I told you, you'd cancel…and I also know how much helping the hospital means to you. I couldn't let you do that to yourself."

"And this has nothing to do with the movie coming out in February? No PR?"

"Honey, you know me. Everything's about PR, but this time you get to do something you already wanted to do." David paused, and Elena could picture him running his fingers through his dark, curly hair in frustration. "You know I can't leave right now. Maria would kill me if I missed her quinceanera tomorrow, but as soon as it's over, I'll get on the next flight and see what I can do to smooth things out."

"You can make him leave."

"Elena." His voice held the warning tone her high school history teacher liked to use as a threat. "For now, you're an actor. Pretend like you like him. _Act."_

Easier said than done. Elena gritted her teeth in annoyance. She might be able to act and fool everyone, but who was going to give Damon the same command?

The door to the courtyard thudded open. A heavy, exaggerated sigh carried across the small space. High heels tapped across the cobblestone path. Elena didn't have to turn to recognize the telltale signs that Carol Lockwood was approaching. "Well, here you are."

"I've gotta go." Elena lowered her voice, hoping to end the call before Carol could overhear. No need to give the Mystic Falls gossips any more ammunition. She tapped the red rectangle on the screen of her phone.

Calm. Cool. Collected. If she embarrassed herself in front of the head of the Founder's Council, David would never trust her without a handler again, and Elena hated having someone standing at her elbow every minute of every day. She knew how to work the press.

But Carol wasn't exactly the press.

"Elena." Carol's exasperated tone was just short of a yell. "People are waiting."

Elena slowly pivoted and smoothed her blouse with the palm of her hand. "Sorry. I had to take an important call. I think David forgot about the time zones." If David was going to keep a secret like Damon from her, then he deserved to be tossed under the bus—at least a small toss to let her get her head back on straight.

"Well, you've finished now." Carol circled behind her and herded her in the direction of the door leading back into the hospital as if she thought Elena was about to make a desperate bolt for freedom.

"That I am."

Breathe. Smile.

Elena forced herself back into _press tour _mode. The official tour for the movie didn't begin until after the holidays, but this would soon be so familiar she could answer questions in her sleep. After traveling through more time zones than she new existed across the United States and most of Europe, she probably would be answering them in her sleep by the end.

Elena stepped through the doorway and the familiar scent of disinfectant mixed with the distinctly child-like blend of apple juice and graham crackers was almost comforting. And it was a good reminder of exactly why she was here. Not for the movie. Not for the press. Her eyes fell on the sketch of the proposed new wing for the hospital.

She was here for the kids.

Jenna was standing in the doorway, her cheeks as red as her hair. Her nostrils flared as Carol approached. She clearly hadn't been informed of the additional celebrity guest either. Just as Elena passed by, Jenna started to say something, but Elena held up a single finger. "I know. We'll talk about it later."

The Mystic Falls gossips would be an annoyance, but if the press got wind of any ill-will between Damon and Elena, it would disastrous.

"I'm so sorry." Elena spoke to no one in particular as she entered the room. "I had to take a phone call. I hope I didn't cause too much of a delay." She glanced up at the clock. The press conference wasn't scheduled to start for ten more minutes. No need for Carol to have been freaking out.

Damon was standing across the room, encircled by the majority of the women in the room, doing what Damon did best—charming their socks off. He inclined his head to the side and gave his standard, effortless laugh. Whatever the white-haired woman with the bun had told him was obviously the most amusing thing he'd ever heard.

_Jerk._

None of them knew he was only half-listening. He was probably running lines in his head for his next project while pretending to be engaging them in conversation. What was his next project anyway? Elena felt a telltale line furrow her brow as she tried to think about any announcements with his name attached in _Variety, _but she wasn't coming up with any. She must have blocked it out.

"Careful. Can't afford to make that a permanent addition to that pretty face." He'd disentangled himself from his admirers and had come to stand beside her at the table set up for the press conference.

"Why, Damon, was that a compliment?"

"Nope. Just at your age, you can't be too careful. Once you hit thirty…."

"I'm sure you'd know. For me, I still have five years before I have to worry about hitting thirty."

"Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting you're a baby."

"_Baby?_ Didn't seem like I was a baby that night in your shower. Or has your memory started to fail you?"

"Damon. Elena." Carol forced a smile that hinted that their conversation wasn't overly private and stood between them like a referee in a fight. "Why don't you take your seats, and we'll get started?"

Damon smiled like the bad kid in class who always got away with murder just because he could charm the teacher into thinking that the other student was to blame. At this point in time, that made Elena the guilty party in Carol's eyes, and it showed when she introduced the two celebrities.

Carol gave a fake-indulgent smile to the crowd. "First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for coming out on such a lovely Sunday afternoon. I'm certain you have last minute spending to do." She inserted an artificial laugh. "But, even shopping in our wonderful town square won't benefit the town as much as the news you can spread about our yearly fundraiser for the children's hospital."

"This year's goal toward the new cancer wing was so lofty, a single celebrity guest wouldn't do." Carol looked back and forth between Elena and Damon. "We were beyond fortunate when we heard that our very own Damon Salvatore would be coming home to spend the Christmas holidays with his brother, Stefan." She motioned in Stefan's direction. "And, of course, the hospital's financial director didn't have to work too hard to persuade his brother to attend."

Carol didn't even fully look at Elena when making the next section of introductions. "And, Elena Gilbert really doesn't need much of an introduction. She returned home for a few weeks before starting the press tour for her new movie. I'm sure she was more than happy to have an audience to chat with about it, isn't that right, Elena?"

"Actually, I was originally scheduled to still be in Paris right now, but when Jenna contacted me about the fundraiser, I was more than happy to be a part of the kickoff for the new wing. The hospital means a great deal…"

"I'm sure it does." Carol snapped and quickly mellowed in response to a _tsk_ing sound from Damon. She turned back to the assembled guests. "But we're here for you, the members of the Mystic Falls-area media. Do you have any questions for the guests?"

Asking members of the press if they have questions is similar to asking piranha if they're hungry. All the assembled media might have fit in a room not too much larger than a typical hospital room, but they were as enthusiastic as the press corps Elena once faced at Cannes.

"What's your next project?"

"We heard there was some trouble on the set. Tell us about that."

"Are you expecting an Oscar nomination?"

All the questions blurred together. They might resemble a traditional press corps from the volume, but they hadn't quite learned press conference etiquette.

Elena stood and pointed at a familiar smiling face. "Matt Donovan, why don't you start the questions?"

"I heard this was a difficult film to shoot. Would you like to tell us about it? Nice haircut, by the way." He inclined his head to her…and he winked. If he and Caroline didn't already have three kids with a fourth on the way, she'd have sworn he was flirting.

"Thank you. Yes, it was a difficult film." Elena fought the urge to shake her head. He knew very well that it was a hard shoot. She'd told him herself when she was chatting with Caroline via speakerphone. "And cutting my hair was part of the deal."

Damon's head snapped up in surprise. His eyes widened at the mention of why she'd cut her hair. Elena hadn't wanted to do it, but the wig always looked fake. By the second week of rehearsal in the wind, never-ending mist, and hours spent standing at attention, she gladly agreed to a haircut that left her with little more than a shaved head.

"This was such an important story…such an emotionally vulnerable role, I didn't mind." Elena fell into her well-rehearsed speech of describing the filming experience of _Rose Under Fire._ "I hadn't anticipated how much recreating the story of the women in the concentration came affected me…affected all of us, really."

The director was a stickler for accuracy. Filmed in a desolate area of northern Germany, not too far from the shadow of where the real camp once existed, the actors' access to cell phones, internet, and any contact with the world outside their filming camp was restricted. Few whispers made it back to Hollywood about the treatment of the actresses, and only after three fainted during a single scene did the assistant director step in and hint that the director was taking the realism a bit too far.

Elena still had trouble sleeping. And speaking about the experience was still a bit iffy, hence, she fell back on the description David had helped her craft.

"I was lucky enough to see one of the preliminary screenings." A reporter that Elena recognized from Los Angeles stood to his feet. "Do you expect an Oscar nomination?"

Elena ran her fingers through her hair, twirling the tip just above her shoulder. "I don't think anyone really _expects_ a nomination."

"But you deserve one."

Elena felt her cheeks flush pink. "Well, thank you." She made a mental note to find out who he was. If he flew out to Mystic Falls to be one of the first people to hear about the movie, then he deserved an invitation to the red carpet at the premiere. She'd make sure that David sent him one.

As the press conference continued on, Elena realized something. Carol may have presented Damon as the favored son, and the women from the Women's League treated him as the most famous person in the room, but none of the questions were directed at him.

When Elena was on the second round of questions, she snuck a glance in his direction. His shoulders were tense. His jaw muscles were taut. His annoyance couldn't have been more clear.

Great. The corner of one lip drew up in a smile. Maybe he'd leave.

* * *

"Not so high, Brenna." Elena stuffed her hands in her pockets to keep herself from marching to the swing set and slowing the little girl's ascent into space. After getting home from the press conference, Brenna had almost knocked her over in enthusiasm about a promised trip to the park.

Elena thought she'd be doing Ric and Jenna a favor by taking the boisterous five-year-old out for the afternoon, but she didn't know just how much she needed the chance to relax at the park after the press conference.

"I'm careful." Brenna smiled down, her tiny pigtails blowing in the breeze. As she reached the top of the arc on the swing, she lifted slightly from the seat, and Elena's heart skipped a beat.

"I can see that."

_Damn. _Elena saw something else. Well, someone. Someone much less appealing. What was Damon doing here?

"Didn't expect to see you here." Elena crossed her hands in front of her chest and tried to decide if she should just tell Brenna they were finished at the park.

"The park or Mystic Falls?" Damon raised an eyebrow. His question set a record for the number of words he'd spoken to her since their disastrous last interaction…or _lack_ of interaction.

"Both. Either." Elena figured it wouldn't help to hide her annoyance.

"Jenna didn't tell you?"

"Jenna didn't know either. Carol apparently didn't think I'd bring in that much interest alone. Guess the press conference showed her she was wrong." Elena flinched. That last sentence was sharper than she'd intended.

"Ouch." Damon took a half-step back. "Thanks for the reminder. If Matt hadn't asked me what I was hoping Santa would bring me, I wouldn't have had a single question."

Elena turned back to Brenna. "Five more minutes." She held up a hand to signal the number of minutes. "I promised Jenna we'd be back soon. We're going to a movie tonight."

"Leaving." Damon stuffed his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. He gave an angry laugh. "Figures."

"What?"

"You're leaving." He smirked. "That's what you do best."

"Seriously?" The sharp tone of Elena's voice made Brenna stop mid-swing. Elena could hear her niece's tennis shoes dragging through the wood chips below the swing. "_I'm _the one who leaves. That's really kind of ironic coming from you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Aunt Elena?" Brenna's fingers closed around Elena's hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing sweetheart." Elena patted the back of the still-thinner-than-it-should-have-been hand. "Everything's fine."

She turned back to Damon. "What am I talking about?" She rolled her eyes. "Think about it."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes: Sorry everyone. This story's not going to wrap up by Christmas. I'm as disappointed as y'all are…but, as typically happens, real life has just kind of gotten in the way. I'm hoping the story will be worth the wait. Please note that there is a short jump in time after the first scene.

Anyway…. I hope you enjoy it!

Warnings: Stefan, mild language, alcohol use

Rating: Teen

* * *

"And then she told me to think about it." Damon spun around to face Stefan, almost spilling his bourbon with his exaggerated gesture. The flames burning brightly in the fireplace behind him only added emphasis to his words.

"Well…" Stefan's face was a mixture of trying desperately not to laugh overshadowed by an I-told-you-so he'd originally worn when Damon informed him that he'd accepted Carol Lockwood's invitation. "What did you expect?"

Damon froze. "Are you taking her side?"

Stefan slowly walked toward his brother, removed the tumbler from his hand so it couldn't become a weapon, placed it on the side table, and backed away. "You _did _leave her at the altar."

The only sound in the room was the crackling of the fireplace. Typically, this would be the moment when a glass was hurled toward the flames for emphasis, but since Stefan had taken proactive measures, Damon was stuck without an outlet for his anger. "That was years ago."

"But did you ever talk to her about it?" Stefan's furrowed forehead suggested he already knew the answer. Damn it, if his brother and his ex-fiancee were still so annoyingly close, why were they both still single? That wasn't part of the plan.

No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't forget Stefan's face…watching her. Typically someone stood in for the bride during the wedding rehearsal, but Elena wouldn't hear of it. She was getting married the next morning, and she was too excited to wait. So when Caroline tried to tell Elena to sit at the front of the church and watch as Ric escorted her down the aisle as a stand-in, the twenty year old bride-to-be practically pushed her blonde friend out of the way. This was _her _wedding, and she was the only one marrying Damon…even if it was only the rehearsal.

And Damon was forever grateful she took that walk down the aisle. Without it, he wouldn't have had the chance to glance at his brother…and see the expression in his eyes.

Stefan loved Elena too.

He'd always suspected it. In high school, they'd come to blows when Stefan suggested that Damon was too old for her. They finally reached a tentative agreement that Damon would wait…and if Elena was still interested in him when she turned eighteen, then it was meant to be. Damon was a very patient man.

And so he waited. So did she. On the evening of her eighteenth birthday, they went out on their first _official _date in years. They never looked back. On her twentieth birthday, a tiny blue box with a ring belonging to his mother marked the occasion. Within a month, they'd set the date. A Christmas wedding. Even before they were engaged, he'd known she wanted one. No, he hadn't expected a wedding quite so soon, and he knew the Mystic Falls gossips would talk, but they were young and in love….waiting four months seemed like more than enough time.

It was to be a simple wedding at the same church Elena's parents married in. Just a few candles for decoration. Only their closest friends were invited. Looking back, that made it so much easier for Damon.

The light from the flickering candles reflected off his brother's face just like the flames from the fireplace were doing now. Back then, Damon saw a mixture of regret and sadness in his little brother's eyes. Today…well, today, Stefan was wearing almost the same expression.

"Did you ever talk to her about it?" Stefan spoke quietly, repeating the question, probably already well-aware of the answer.

"I didn't need to." Damon retrieved his drink, and downed the rest of it in a single swallow. "And that was years ago."

* * *

_Four days later….._

Elena sat in the darkened living room, staring at the television. On the screen, a car skidded in almost a complete circle on a sheet of ice. Then, the picture shifted the scene of an eighteen wheeler struggling to climb an overpass. Trying…and failing. As the truck slowly slid backwards, other cars slammed into each other like they were pins in a game of bowling.

"Can't sleep?" Elena hadn't even heard Jenna walk into the room.

Elena glanced over her shoulder at her aunt, shaking her head. "I think I'm still on Paris-time."

Jenna nodded, aware of the fact that it was much more likely that her niece was on German time…since that's where she spent most of the last year. Elena had only been in Paris for a little over a month. The fact that Elena still spoke as if the time in Germany hadn't really happened was more than mildly troubling to Jenna—she could see it on her face every time she didn't mention where the movie had filmed.

But Elena just wasn't ready to revisit those memories. Yes, it was a film. Yes, it was a fictional account. But the things they went through to create the movie…she wasn't sure if they'd ever really leave her. And that was why she was awake just prior to two in the morning. Elena wasn't lying to herself, even if she was lying to her aunt.

Jenna knew it too. Elena could see the worried expression lingering around her aunt's eyes. An expression she'd worn far too often over the past few years. Elena wasn't going to intentionally give Jenna even more to be concerned about. She had more than enough on her plate. So, she put on an annoyed smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I thought this would be a better time to get through on the airline."

"Any sign of your bag?"

"I think it's having a better European vacation than I did." Elena forced a laugh, turning back toward the television. "And then I got a call from David."

"At this time?"

"He knew I was up." Her manager knew her habits as well as anyone. Sadly, he'd been the recipient of the panicked phone calls in the middle of the night when the filming had just ended. "He's stuck." Elena pointed toward the screen. "That's Dallas."

Jenna flinched. "So….no David to smooth things over?"

"No David."

"You going to be okay?" Jenna looked more than a little skeptical.

"I'm going to have to be."

* * *

Elena walked through the doors to the hospital, relieved at the blast of warm air. She began to brush the oversized snowflakes out of her hair and cringed at the dampness beneath her fingertips. Normally she loved snow, but not when she was on her way to a photo shoot. Definitely not when she was on her way to a shoot when she was still uncertain about how to manage her barely-shoulder-length hair. Jenna assured her the almost-a-bob was stylish. Elena wasn't so sure. Judging by the way Damon reacted when he first saw her at the press conference, Elena was fairly certain her aunt was humoring her.

"Elena. So good to see you!" Klaus was waiting in the lobby, camera in hand and ready smile on his face. He immediately began looking around behind her. "Where's my favorite girl?"

"Brenna woke up with a cough this morning."

"Is she okay?" Klaus seemed honestly concerned. The front door hissed open a second time, and Damon came inside, wisely wearing a hat. As usual, he looked flawless as he walked next to the tree where the preparations for the photo shoot had been made.

"I think it's just a virus. The kids in her class have apparently been passing it around." Elena frowned. After the last year, the last thing Brenna needed was something worse than a cold. Jenna told Elena that the little girl wasn't even running a temperature, but Elena wasn't totally convinced. "But we decided she needed to stay home anyway."

"She has to be in top form for Friday night." Klaus pointed Elena toward the tree.

"Exactly." Elena nodded.

"Alright, let's go." Klaus stood a few feet away from the tree, studying Elena and Damon, waiting for one of them to make some type of move to stand next to the other. It wasn't happening. "Do you think you could get a little closer together?" He looked through the viewfinder. "I'd kind of like to get both of you in the same shot."

Klaus looked up. And waited. And waited. "Seriously, you could drive a bus between the two of you."

Elena took a step toward Damon, and he mirrored her movements…the opposite direction. She let out a long breath, trying not to glare. After all, half the parents of the patients seemed to choose that exact moment to gather in the foyer with their coffee.

A photo shoot was exciting.

A photo shoot with two hometown celebrities was more exciting.

A photo shoot with two hometown celebrities who were once engaged and were now trying not to start World War III over the holidays was Twitter-worthy.

"Can I talk to you for just a second?" Elena didn't even have to face Damon for everyone in the room to know who she was talking to. She started walking toward the sliding doors, hoping that Damon would follow.

"Sure." He jabbed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket with practiced ease. He glanced at Klaus. "This'll just be a second."

"Take all the time you need." Klaus knelt in front of the tree, taking a few snapshots of the mirrored ornaments.

Once the doors were safely closed behind them, Elena turned to face Damon. "Look. This fundraiser means a lot to me…."

"And you're implying it doesn't to me?" Damon seemed to be ready for a fight.

"No. Not at all." Elena couldn't fight the telltale signs of fatigue she felt creeping on her face. She'd spent too much of the last year fighting something…anger, desperation, fear of the unknown. She didn't have it in her to fight Damon too. "I just. I don't want to ruin this." She paused. "Can we call a truce? Just till the week's over?"

For the longest minute imaginable, Elena thought he was going to refuse. Then, with exaggerated politeness, Damon held out his hand. "Truce."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Howdy from New York! Quick side note before we get started. I've had a few questions about the movie Elena finished filming. _Rose Under Fire _is a real book (it's a related work to _Code Name Verity). _While I have no idea if it'll be made into a movie…it should be. I've "borrowed" the title (and a few mentions of the basic plot) because I think the idea of Elena starring in the movie really fits well into this story.

Warnings: Teen – mild alcohol use, Stefan, mild language, Tyler Lockwood

* * *

Damon leaned back in the armchair, drumming his fingers along the leather armrest. He'd been trying not to act bored for the last half hour. After checking his e-mail for a non-existent update from his agent, paging through a handful of notifications on Twitter, and skimming his Facebook feed, he'd run out of ways to amuse himself. Obviously, Stefan's definition of _grabbing a few things _from his office significantly differed from his own. Damon should have taken his own car. At least he wouldn't have been stuck here, then.

Stefan tossed one last manila folder into thick pile already his briefcase. How late was he planning on working tonight, anyway? Damon didn't exactly expect Stefan's everyday life to stop when he came into town to visit, but he'd only been back in Mystic Falls for a little over a week, and he'd gone long past bored and was steadily on the path toward stir crazy. He'd assumed Stefan had a reason for inviting him to come home for the holiday, so far it was just to stare at the walls and track the progress of an oversized spider building a web in the corner of his dad's office.

Stefan seemed to remember Damon was in the room. "Sorry. Shouldn't take too much longer. Just need to check one quick thing on my e-mail."

"No problem." Damon rocked forward in his seat. "Not like I really have anything else to do."

Stefan looked up from behind his desk. "You know there's always a job here for you if you want it."

So that was the reason he was back. Figures. If dad couldn't get him back in the family business before he died, then the task must have fallen to the dutiful member of the Salvatore family. Stefan was just wasting his breath. Damon shook his head. "I don't need a pity job from my little brother."

Stefan rolled back in his chair, looking back at Damon with a mildly surprised expression on his face. "It's not a pity job." He pointed to one of the numerous framed awards on the wall. "It's Salvatore Memorial for a reason. We've always worked here."

"Then the last thing I want to do is follow in Dad's footsteps."

Stefan laughed, an unusual shadow of irony lacing his voice. "And you think _I_ do?"

"Of course. You always have. You're the perfect brother. Dad never overlooked an opportunity to point that out. You were always the good little soldier. Straight As. Nice girlfriend. Business degree. Everything that Dad always wanted."

"Keep telling yourself that." Stefan laughed even harder, shaking his head and rolling his eyes in Damon's direction. Once he composed himself, he tapped the top of the desk. "When you're ready, the offer's always on the table."

"No thanks." Damon stood, searching for a way to change the topic of conversation. He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to study the cluster of photographs on the walls. Each contained a semi-famous member of the town and a child between the ages of toddler and pre-teen. Their names were written in script beneath the photo, bearing the year they were the children's hospital ambassadors. He recognized a handful, but more than one name was familiar for an unpleasant reason—those he recognized from being etched on a gravestone in the Mystic Falls cemetery.

"Klaus said something today."

Stefan's eyebrows shot up in response. The teasing tone from earlier had vanished from his reply. "Klaus says a lot of things. Care to be more specific?"

"He asked why Brenna wasn't there for the pictures, and Elena said she had a cough. Brenna has to be feeling alright for Friday night…."

"Is she okay?" Stefan interrupted.

"I think so. But why is she going to be at the ball on Friday? I didn't know kids were invited." A lot of things had changed during his absence from Mystic Falls, but he couldn't see Carol Lockwood allowing that type of a change while she was in command of the festivities.

Stefan stood, zipping his bag closed. "She's kind of expected to be there since Brenna's going to be next year's ambassador."

Damon gestured toward the pictures. He'd never paid too much attention to the ins and outs of running the hospital, but the requirements to be the ambassador stuck in his head after receiving a lecture when he was seven when he threw a fit because _he _was convinced that he'd make the perfect ambassador. His father gave him a talking to that he'd never forgotten. "I thought they had to be former patients…"

Stefan's forehead furrowed, and he pursed his lips. "Come take a walk with me."

They walked out of the administrative wing and turned into a hallway leading to the bank of elevators in the central section of the hospital. Stefan pressed the up button and waited without saying a word to clue Damon into why this was part of the answer to his question. An empty car arrived, and Stefan already had his access card ready. He pressed the button for the fifth floor and scanned his ID.

"Where are we going?"

"It's easier to show you." Stefan glanced over his shoulder. "And this way I'm not breaking any promises."

The doors hissed open, and Damon found himself in the most brightly decorated area of the hospital he'd ever seen. "What floor is this?"

"Pediatric oncology." Stefan led the way through a large waiting area and into another series of hallways, stopping in front of a collection of black and white photographs.

These were similar to the pictures in Stefan's office, but they weren't exactly the same. Each contained a young child interacting with a friend of a family member. Damon froze in front of the one on the far right.

Brenna….and Elena.

Brenna lay nestled in the crook of Elena's arm. Elena appeared to be in the middle of reading some type of picture book. Brenna's eyes were half-closed, but a hint of a smile played at the corner of her mouth.

"They found out about the leukemia when Jenna was on bedrest with Delaney. Ric already used up all his sick days at work. They didn't have anyone else to call. Elena flew home on the first flight after they told her." Stefan paused to let the significance of his words sink in. "They spent almost six months here off and on. I never saw Elena leave when Brenna was here. You have no idea the number of times I came by in the mornings and found the two of them asleep on the bathroom floor when Brenna was the sickest."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"No idea." Stefan shrugged. "That's a question you're going to have to ask her."

* * *

The noise of the crowd at the Breakfast with Santa was beyond deafing…probably just short of standing directly below a jet engine. And it did nothing for Damon's pounding head. Emptying the bottle of his father's best bourbon, he could handle. The sleepless night wasn't exactly planned.

No one seemed to mind. Even with bloodshot eyes, he knew he was still one of the best looking guys in the room. At least that's what all the women clustered around him implied.

While fathers, older siblings, and grandparents patiently waited in line for a chance to sit in Santa Claus' lap, the mothers waited for the opportunity to take a photo with Damon. On the opposite side of the tree, a much shorter line stretched toward the spot where Elena waited. Tyler Lockwood appeared a little too happy about being next in her line.

"If I bring it to the parade, will you sign it?" The white haired woman Damon had just posed with poked him in the ribs. He vaguely remembered that she was once the aide in his school library.

"Hey, there, Elena." Tyler's voice was I'm-the-sleazy-guy-picking-a-chick-up-in-a-bar smooth. "Long time, no see."

"And it's still too soon." Elena's voice had an edge to it Damon hadn't heard before, not even when she was trying to make forced small talk before doing their chemistry tests for _Casablanca._

_Poke._

_Poke._

_Poke._

"Are you going to answer me?" Mrs. Stevenson repeated, poking even harder.

"Sure. I'll sign it."

Damon was fully distracted now. As Klaus readied his camera for the next posed shot, one of the teenagers from Mystic Fall's High School's journalism class waited for Tyler to get ready for his photo with Elena.

"Come on, pretend I'm Santa." Tyler tugged at Elena's arm, trying to pull her into his lap.

"I'll be right back." Damon held a finger up to signal the next pair of sisters would need to wait a moment for their picture. He circled behind the Christmas tree and removed Tyler's hand from Elena's arm. "Consider it two for the price of one." He gestured for Tyler to move as he took the seat in the chair.

Stunned, Elena sat on his leg while Tyler was forced to stand awkwardly behind them. Damon couldn't even focus on his annoyance at Tyler or the fact he realized they'd attracted a fair amount of unwanted attention. He was too alarmed by how light Elena seemed and how easy it was to feel her ribs beneath her heavy sweater.

She must have been able to read the question in his eyes. "Later. We can go for coffee."

Damon nodded, hardly even aware when she stood and walked away.

* * *

"I'm not sick…and there's no eating disorder. I've already had this conversation with Jenna, Ric, and your brother." Elena blew on the mug of her hot chocolate. "It was a World War II movie, Damon."

"I know that." Damon's answer was sharper than he'd intended. _Everyone _knew that. The role of Rose had been one of the most hotly coveted roles of last summer's filming season. No one expected someone who walked out on her last role to win it. But Elena did.

And that's why there were sitting here now…or at least he assumed it was to talk about Elena's most recent film. So far, that's been the only topic of conversation she'd been willing to move past single-syllable answers.

They'd called a truce, but he wasn't sure how that meant he'd ended up having coffee with her, especially not at The Beanery. The corner booth at the opposite end of the tiny shop was practically screaming at them to take their familiar seats.

"My character, Rose, was in a concentration camp." She paused, letting the weight of her words filter through the still-slightly-hung-over fog of Damon's brain. "Losing weight was part of the contract…and, honestly, that was one of the easiest parts of the role."

"But."

She continued. "I hadn't known just exactly how much weight the director had in mind before we got started." Her lips formed a near-perfect O as she took a hesitant sip of her drink. "By the end, I'd lost close to 50 pounds."

"Fifty pounds?" He practically yelled, echoing her words.

"Not all of it was planned. I got sick halfway through. Pneumonia on top of bronchitis on top of the worst stomach bug I've ever experienced. Geoff said it added authenticity to the part." Elena spoke with venom that suggested she wished her director could have experienced some of the _accuracy._ "I've had some trouble putting it all back on." She nodded toward her mug. "Hence the extra whipped cream."

Silence fell between them. Her explanation given, Elena seemed uncertain of her next conversation topic. She nervously toyed with the charm bracelet hanging from her wrist. For an instant, he thought she was going to leave.

Damon sat back in his seat, sipping the black coffee. "Brenna's next year's ambassador."

Elena's poker face cracked at the mention of her niece. "She is. I'm assuming Stefan told you. But why?"

"I heard your conversation with Klaus. I was wondering why she was going to be at the party. I didn't know she'd been sick—Ric hadn't even told me."

"We haven't exactly been on speaking terms, Damon." Elena shook her head, placing the mug of hot chocolate down on the table in front of her, almost completely untouched. "Brenna was the reason you left _Casablanca." _Damon's words were heavy with accusation. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"That's a laugh. Coming from you…the person who thought sticking a note under the windshield of my car was enough of an explanation for why you cancelled the wedding." Elena paused, closing her eyes and taking a breath. When she continued speaking, her voice was almost frighteningly calm. "Exactly how was I supposed to explain? When you wouldn't answer my phone calls? When you marked my e-mails as spam? Or maybe when you told me to go screw myself when I tried to text you."

Her eyes locked with his. She knew she was right.

"I thought you left the show as a way to get back at me once you heard that I was the one who got the part."

"That's hardly a professional way to act. You seriously thought I'd walk on a show because I was angry? Damon, you know me better than that…or I thought you did." For the first time, she showed an emotion that wasn't laced with anger. "Even if you deserved it, the rest of the cast and crew didn't. I always regretted the fact that the movie folded after they couldn't replace me, but it couldn't be helped. Jenna and Ric needed my help. I couldn't let Brenna be alone at the hospital. I'm sorry I didn't explain….but I honestly did try."

And then Elena grew quiet again, the meaning behind her words pressed heavily on Damon. The memory of his conversation with Stefan echoed in his memory. Elena tried to contact him. She was telling the truth.

He was the one who'd never explained.

"Elena." He took a breath, aware that Elena's nerves seemed to be on edge. He had to do it. He owed it to Elena. He owed it to himself. And he wasn't sure if he'd ever really have the chance again. "I couldn't go through with the wedding."

"Really?" She gave a bitter laugh. "I hadn't noticed."

"When I saw Stefan's face…I knew that I just couldn't."

"When you saw Stefan?" Elena appeared to be honestly confused.

Damon gulped his coffee as if it could give him extra strength. "I always knew the two of you were close, but when I saw the look in his eyes… Elena, I couldn't go through with it knowing that he was in love with you too."

If Elena had been drinking her hot chocolate, she would have spilled it. Instead, her eyes grew wide with a mixture of disbelief, annoyance, and total shock. "Stefan?" She shook her head. "Damon, Stefan's always been my best friend. But there's never been anything more than that between us."

"Don't lie to me, Elena." He'd told her the truth. She owed the same to him.

"Maybe you need to look at something other than a mirror when you're at home." She rolled her eyes. "Because Stefan and Klaus are really very happy together."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: We've reached the home stretch. After this chapter, I believe we'll just have one more. I hope you've enjoyed it!

Warnings: Stefan, mild language, alcohol use

* * *

A blanket of snow covered the main town square, turning the parade route into a scene worthy of a holiday movie. Cotton-ball-sized puffs of snow drifted down onto the unusually crowded streets.

"Such an amazing turn-out." Carol Lockwood practically glowed with pride as Damon approached the horse-drawn carriage. "Almost double the crowd we had last year. I've never seen so many gifts for the toy drive."

A cluster of carolers from the high school choir wandered past, heading in the direction of the float directly in front of the carriage. An inflatable snowman waved from the rear of the flatbed trailer, giving the impression it was staring at the horse behind it.

"I'm not sure if he likes the snowman." Elena glanced skeptically at the horse.

"It'll be fine." Carol shook her head dismissively. She glanced at her watch. "Almost time. You two'd better get on the carriage. We don't want to leave our stars behind." She hurried off, yelling instructions to a group of bicyclists whose helmets flashed in sync with the music playing from a loudspeaker inside a child carrier being pulled behind one of the bikes.

"Wonder what they did wrong?" Damon shook his head as Carol's voice grew in intensity.

"No idea." Elena reached for the offered hand of the carriage driver and took her place on the cushioned seat. She looked casually elegant in a pair of black leggings beneath an oversized sweater, both items baggy enough that Damon suspected they came out of Jenna's closet.

Damon hopped in after her. Instead of the see-it-from-space approach most of the participants in the parade had used, the carriage driver had opted for decorations more appropriate for a century ago…if they had battery-operated candles back then. The fake candles flickered among fresh pine garland and red ribbons. "Pretty."

Elena studied the carriage. "Yes, it is."

"I wasn't talking about the carriage." He stared at her with an intensity that brought the desired hint of pink to her cheeks.

"Thank you." She fidgeted in her seat, reaching for her hair out of a nervous habit that she apparently hadn't been able to break.

"There's a blanket back there if you need it." The driver's gruff voice broke the eye contact between them.

"Good idea." Damon reached down and picked it up from the seat facing them. He tucked the blanket over her legs, his fingertips brushing the thin fabric of her pants. "Is that warm enough?"

"It's all Jenna had that fit." Elena frowned. "My bag's still lost. If it takes much longer, I'm going to have to just buy a different dress for the ball." Before she could explain any further, the carriage lurched forward with a jolt, and the parade was underway.

Cameras flashed.

People yelled and waved.

Between the songs from the choir in front of them and the noise from the crowd, and time for even casual conversation was at an end. Down the lane leading from the Lockwood house, twisting over Wickery Bridge, the carriage happily bounced along—surrounded by not-so-silent observers.

_How long was this parade?_ Damon leaned over the door, searching for some sign of the courthouse at the center of town square. Surely it wasn't this long when he was a kid. He tried to remember how long the ride had taken when he was on the float for the award-winning football team.

Back then, time sped by so quickly the whole event seemed over in an instant. If only he could be as lucky tonight. Instead, with each bump in the well-worn street, the outside of Elena's thigh casually brushed against his.

He knew it wasn't intentional, but it affected him just the same.

At least it was cold enough that he could pretend he was taking a cold shower. He turned his back toward Elena and waved at the cluster of teenage girls currently screaming his name. At least someone seemed to be enjoying the evening.

He kept his focus on the crowd. That was the answer. As long as he sought out those calling his name, he didn't have to think about who he was sharing the carriage with…or how her cheeks had flushed just a handful of minutes ago…or how familiar it felt to have her hand accidentally brushing against his hip.

But that was a long time ago.

* * *

After what seemed to be an eternity, the white-light-trimmed outline of city hall came into view. And just as the end seemed to be in sight, the wheels of the carriage slowed to a halt.

"Sorry." The driver turned back and glanced at them from over his shoulder. "We seem to be kind of backed up. It should only take a few minutes."

"Damon!" A shrill shriek came from just below the door. A girl who couldn't have been old enough to have her driver's license waved up at him. Once she had his attention, she pointed with glee. "Look up!"

His eyes followed her gesture. _Shit._

Carol Lockwood didn't believe in doing halfway. Whether that was planning the annual Founder's Day ball, the Night of Remembrance, or the decorations for the annual Christmas Parade of Lights. She made certain that no detail went neglected in preparing her town to be picture-perfect.

White lights on every historic building.

Fresh wreaths on each window of town hall.

And mistletoe. Lots and lots of mistletoe. Just like the bundle hanging from the arm of the streetlight almost directly over the carriage.

"Kiss her." The teenager had been joined by a group of her friends. The herd of giggling girls were all ready, cameras in hand. They'd been waiting for a moment just like this.

And now they'd attracted Elena's attention. Her eyebrows knit together for an instant before she glanced up. A shadow of a glare that only he could see flashed through her eyes.

"Elena!" The girls knew they had her attention too. "Y'all are under the mistletoe!" Now they had the attention of every spectator in the vicinity of the carriage. "Come on, it's tradition."

Damon turned away from the crowd and looked at Elena. Her lips were turned up in a ghost of a grin, and she gave him the faintest hint of a nod. "It's tradition."

Without even stopping to think about what he was doing….he did it. He kissed her. What was supposed to be a quick peck turned into something—more. He was instantly thrown back in time…to a time when her lips were made for his. His hand moved on its own accord, caressing her cheek and gently pulling her closer to him. Instead of pulling away, she relaxed into his touch.

Then the carriage lurched forward, and they broke apart, Elena's cheeks so red that they almost matched Santa Claus' suit. Flashes danced around them, and she shook her head slowly. "David's going to kill me."

"You can always blame the mistletoe."

Elena nodded slowly, but Damon knew she wasn't convinced. There was far more to that moment than just the mistletoe…they both knew it.

"Here we are." The driver unlocked the carriage door, and Damon jumped down with Elena close on his heels.

_Pop!_

The Christmas fireworks started early, startling the horse just as Elena stood at the open doorway. Her foot skidded on the snow-slick stair, and she lost her balance.

"Careful." Damon reached out and grabbed hold of Elena before she fell. He steadied her as she stepped to the ground.

"Thank you." She chewed her lip as she didn't let go of his hand. Something was bothering her. He'd known it from the first time he'd seen her tonight. He hadn't been able to put his finger on it, but he was certain her unusually quiet mood wasn't simply because they'd been sentenced to sharing the same carriage. "Walk with me a minute?"

He turned to study the groups still assembling in the parking lot. They wouldn't be able to light the town tree for quite a while yet. "Sure."

Elena led him away from the crowd, down the path, and toward the small duck pond. She was so hesitant, he couldn't help but remember the first night they stood here alone under the full moon. "This is where we had our first kiss."

"I remember." Elena smiled, but didn't look up at him.

So he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

"Did you just want to come for a walk?"

"No." She bit down on her lip harder. If she used much more force, she was going to draw blood. "Damon….I…."

"Here you are!" Carol yelled so loudly, they could probably hear her back at the courthouse. "We can't light the tree without you two." She shooed the two of them back toward the crowd.

* * *

Damon couldn't sleep. By the time the Christmas tree lighting was over, both he and Elena had been swallowed up by excited fans. Then when he finally had time to look around, she was nowhere to be found.

She'd wanted to talk with him tonight. Of that he was certain. And it wasn't about their first kiss or the fact they were sharing the hosting responsibilities. Something was bothering her. He was sure of that.

Just like he was sure he was never going to sleep tonight.

He'd heard the clock strike midnight.

He'd watched as two o'clock came…and went.

At three, he tried downing a glass of whiskey, but it didn't work.

All he could think about was how troubled her face had looked. And how incredibly shitty Carol's timing had been. He rolled onto his side, finally admitting defeat. He wasn't going to sleep. He'd just wait here until a respectable time rolled around.

And then the sun was streaming through the window.

Disoriented, he stumbled out of bed and almost plowed into the wall on the way to the bathroom.

Stefan chuckled and shook his head as he passed by Damon's door. Already wearing a three-piece-suit, he looked ready to start his day. _What time was it?_

"I was wondering how late you were planning on sleeping." Stefan had a post-it note in his hand. "I was leaving a note telling you to use my car if you needed it. Klaus is picking me up."

"What time is it?"

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Almost ten."

_Shit._ Elena was going shopping today. If he hurried, he could still catch her. Without another word to his more-than-vaguely-amused brother, Damon ran into the shower.

* * *

Damon made it to his former best friend's house in record time. He stood awkwardly on the front porch, trying to decide whether or not he should knock. It made so much more sense at 3 a.m., but now he wasn't sure exactly what he was doing there.

Elena wanted to talk.

She should be the one coming to look for him.

He'd almost convinced himself to leave when the door opened.

"Delaney saw you on the porch." Alaric looked out the crack in the door, his youngest daughter clinging to the leg of his jeans. "Do you need something?"

"I was hoping to talk to Elena." Damon hadn't come up with a better reason for being there. He decided to go with honesty.

A gust of wind blew snow toward the open door. Alaric motioned for him to come into the house. A wave of nostalgia hit him. Football games. Christmas parties. New Year's countdowns. A long time ago, it had all been so easy. Alaric had been his best friend. Elena was the woman Damon intended to marry. Complicated, but it worked.

Until he made a huge mistake.

The door closed quietly behind him. Delaney continued looking at him with suspicion. Alaric frowned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "They're not here."

_Damn. _Damon glanced awkwardly around the room. Even the pictures on the wall lining the stairwell seemed to be judging him. One of the framed photographs caught his eye. Similar to the one Stefan showed him on the wall of the oncology unit, the picture captured a moment between Elena and Brenna in the hospital.

But the picture on the wall of the Saltzman home was slightly different. In vivid color, instead of focusing on Elena, Brenna was the center of attention. Her chocolate-brown hair draped over her shoulder and mixed seamlessly with the curls of her almost-aunt. And her vividly-blue eyes danced with delight as she looked at the book Elena was reading to her.

_Oh. My. God._


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Oops – looks like there's going to be a SHORT epilogue after this chapter….so, technically, this isn't quite the end.

Warnings: Rated Teen, Stefan, alcohol use, mild language

I own nothing. I'm just borrowing the characters for a little while.

* * *

Damon stared at the photograph, and Elena's words from earlier in the week came back to haunt him. "Maybe if you looked somewhere other than a mirror…." Because it was his reflection in the mirror that was threatening to stop his heart right now. He saw eyes that color blue every morning. They stared back at him when he was trying to figure out exactly what he was doing with his life.

"They're at the mall." Alaric was practically staring through him right now, watching him staring at the photograph. "Brenna likes to watch the ice skaters. Elena promised if she'd be patient while shopping for a dress, they'd let her watch the classes at the skating rink for a while."

Delaney continued to peer up at him, a suspicious expression on her face. He wasn't sure how he'd missed it before. Delaney was an exact blend of Alaric and Jenna. Reddish-brown hair that refused to stay flat and deep brown eyes far older than her years. The last time he'd talked at any length with Alaric, Jenna had just lost their third baby. They were considering adopting…and then Damon left Mystic Falls. When he came back for his father's funeral, Brenna wasn't quite as old as Delaney was now and Brenna was just an infant. He'd assumed something had changed.

He was so wrapped up in himself and trying to avoid his best friend, he'd hardly noticed that they'd been at the church to support Stefan—and himself. Damn, he hadn't even asked if either of the girls were adopted. Of course, he was still busily trying to tiptoe around the fact that he'd left Elena at the altar and hadn't spoken to her since.

"I'd better go." Damon took one more look at his friend, the volume of things they'd left unsaid hung in the air.

"You do that." Alaric still looked ready to punch him into next week. When he'd hurt Elena, he knew he'd irreparably damaged his relationship with his best friend. That was never more evident than in this moment. He might have reached some type of understanding with Elena, but the chill he felt in the air right now showed the progress didn't extend to the rest of her family. Of course, Elena had agreed to a truce…to act like they were still friends.

Ric escorted him to the front door, shutting it behind him with a rather final-sounding thud. Damon hurried across the porch, more confused than ever. He'd come to talk with Elena…to try to figure out exactly what was bothering her so much, and now he'd been hit with what was probably the biggest shock of his life. All this time, she'd been blaming him for leaving without a word.

And she was keeping the biggest secret of all.

Last night might have been all an act.

That had to be the answer. She hadn't forgiven him at all. Two could play at that game. Right now, he deserved the truth.

* * *

The mall was beyond packed. With less than a week until Christmas, he shouldn't have expected otherwise. How the hell was he supposed to find Elena in this mess?

_Brenna likes the skating rink. _He let out an angry breath, knowing that he was lucky Alaric had even given him that much of a hint. If he really wanted to help, he could have called Elena and figured out where they were.

He half-jogged through the parking lot, not wanting to give fans the opportunity to figure out who he was. He wasn't in the mood for casual chatter or pictures. The automatic doors hissed open, and overly heated air spilled out to greet him.

Shoppers were only half paying attention while they buzzed past, packages in hand, en route to the next store on their list. It would have been infinitely easier to just have waited to talk to Elena at Ric's house, but he had a suspicion that his former friend wasn't wanting to give him the opportunity to take the easy route.

Where the hell was the skating rink anyway? It felt like a lifetime ago since he'd been here at the mall. In the distance, he could hear music blended with laughter—definitely not the tense mob of shoppers. He followed the chorus of _Holly, Jolly Christmas _as it echoed over the din of the crowd.

And there she was. There _they _were, he corrected himself. If he hadn't seen her recently, he still wouldn't have recognized her. Rail-thin, even beneath the oversized sweater and leggings, Elena was holding an assortment of shopping bags in one hand and the other rested lightly on Brenna's hand as it sat on the rail of the skating rink.

Thankfully, Jenna was nowhere to be seen. That would make things easier…unless Alaric had called ahead to warn her that Damon was on his way.

He took advantage of the moment to study them. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. Their hair was the same color. Brenna had the same slight build. They even stood the same way. One of the skaters flew past Brenna and Elena and did a jump with tremendous height. Brenna beamed with happiness up at Elena. She smiled back, but her grin didn't quite reach her eyes.

A wave of emotion stirred in the pit of his stomach. It probably killed Elena to give her up.

_Damn it! _This wasn't the time to feel sorry for Elena. She'd never even told him about Brenna. He summoned all his anger and strode in their direction. He reached out and took hold of Elena's shoulder, paying no attention to the half-jump of fear in reaction to his touch. "We need to talk."

"Elena?" The look of genuine fear in Brenna's eyes as she grabbed for Elena's hand told him he was getting his point across. "Who's that?" Brenna's eyes darted to his face for an instant before seeking out reassurance from Elena.

"You've met Damon." Elena began scanning the crowd. "He used to be a friend of mine."

At any other time, Damon would have flinched at her tone and choice of words. Right now, she was only succeeding in adding fuel to the fire already burning in his chest.

"Is there a problem?" The venom in Jenna's voice stopped him in his tracks. She stood a few feet away, clearly trying to decide if she wanted to dump the drinks she was carrying on top of his head.

He was suddenly very much aware that his actions and the volume of Jenna's question had attracted attention of others gathered at the skating rink.

Whispers mingled with exclamations. People were realizing exactly who was standing mere feet away from them. And the first of the cameras flashed.

"No problem at all." He forced his words to soften. "Elena had wanted to talk last night, but we'd been interrupted. I went by your house, but Ric said I'd find you here."

"Not here." Elena shook her head, and he didn't miss the quick glance she gave in Brenna's direction. "If Stefan's at work, we can talk at your house."

"You sure you're okay?" Jenna didn't look convinced.

"It's fine, Jenna."

"I'll take your bags."

"Thanks." Elena ran a hand over Brenna's shoulder. "I'll see you later tonight."

"And you'll practice doing my hair for the party?" Brenna looked expectantly up at Elena.

"We'll do your hair." Elena nodded. "Your mom's not great with the curling iron."

"I know." Brenna giggled, unaware of the intensity of the emotions flying between the adults involved in the conversation.

* * *

Damon had to hand it to her. When Elena said she wanted to wait to talk at his house, she meant it. All along the twisting streets, she sat in total and complete silence. He could feel the wall between them growing even thicker with each passing mile.

By the time they faced off in the living room of the Salvatore house, he was practically ready to explode. He didn't want to wait for any kind of muddled excuses or attempt at an explanation. Instead, he unleashed every ounce of pent-up frustration. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She blinked back at him in a mixture of shock and genuine fear. "About Brenna?"

"Of course. What the hell else do you think I'm asking about?" He could feel his cheeks flaming. "I'm talking about _our daughter. _Unless there's something else you're hiding from me too."

Elena took a step back, a shudder running down her back. She clenched her teeth together and the beginning of tears formed in her eyes. "Exactly how was I supposed to tell you? You left, remember? You didn't even tell Stefan where you were."

"It doesn't matter." He wasn't finished being angry yet.

Elena shook her head in defeat. In that exact moment, he was able to see the toll filming the movie had taken on her…or maybe it was almost losing Brenna…or living a lie the past five years. The Elena he'd known would have lashed back at him. This Elena—he studied her shaking hands and the rapidly fading color on her cheeks—_this _Elena was legitimately afraid of him. "I couldn't tell you." She bit down on her lip so hard, she drew blood. She turned her back on him and wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't know where you were. No one did. I tried. But it wouldn't have mattered. Because you didn't love me, and I wouldn't make you live a lie….and I know you would have." She took a halting breath. "I didn't know I was pregnant until after you were gone."

"But still…" Damon insisted.

"I know." She spun around, showing some of the fire he'd expected. "I should have told you. I know. I've spent five years knowing I should have told you. Five years watching her grow up. Five years in her life without being able to say who I was…or letting her know you even exist. But I was alone. No job. No future. Jenna and Ric were desperate. It was perfect. And then you showed up on that soap opera a week before I had her. By then it was too late."

"You still should have told me."

"God, Damon, you sound like a broken record. What would you have done? Come back? Married me because you were supposed to? Hell, would that have been better for her than growing up in a house where they idolize her? She's happy."

"Why didn't you tell me later?"

Elena rolled her eyes and the tears finally started to fall. "I tried. When she got sick, I knew I needed to tell you." And the angry defiance returned to her voice. "But you wouldn't take my calls, remember? And my e-mails were marked as spam… I could only do so much. If you didn't want to talk, I didn't have time to track you down. I was trying to help keep our daughter alive." She took a step back. "So I'm sorry, Damon. I'm sorry I kept this from you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Brenna." She took another step back. "I'm just…I'm just sorry." She turned on her heel and ran out the door.

Damon didn't follow her.

* * *

When Stefan arrived home, Damon was sitting in the dark. He hadn't even been aware of the hours passing. All he could think about was the look on Elena's face as she ran out of the house.

He'd lost her.

He'd really and truly lost her.

He hadn't even realized how much he'd wanted her back…not until now.

"Damon?" Stefan flicked on a light and gave his older brother a questioning look.

"Did you know?" Damon turned his anger on his brother.

"About?"

"You know fucking good and well what I'm talking about." Damon was tired of playing this game.

"About Brenna?" At least Stefan had the decency not to play dumb.

"So you did know." Damon downed the last of the bottle of scotch. He'd had to move on after he finished all the bourbon he could find.

Stefan picked up the first of the bottles littering the coffee table. He shook his head. "Elena never told me."

"Then how did you know?"

"When they thought Brenna wasn't going to make it, they did a drive to try to find a bone marrow match. Hard to do with a kid who's adopted." Stefan picked up a second bottle. "But Elena insisted on being tested." He paused. "She was a perfect match." He let the weight of his words sink in. "That doesn't just happen. And…" Stefan caught himself and stopped talking.

"And what?"

Stefan stared at Damon, obviously trying to decide whether or not to continue with his explanation. Finally, he nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. "Alaric and Jenna don't even know this." Stefan waited for Damon to nod in understanding. "Brenna was dying. There was an experimental treatment out there, but it was very, very expensive and not covered by insurance. It was Brenna's only chance." Stefan let out a long breath. "Elena paid for it. It's why she's been working herself to death. That movie was hell, but she couldn't quit. She needed the money. She hasn't paid off the bill yet."

Stefan walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Damon listened as one bottle after another landed in the recycling bin. He stood to his feet and followed his brother. "One more question…."

"What?" Stefan sounded more than slightly annoyed.

"When did you find out that Elena was coming home for Christmas?"

"The day before I invited you." Stefan leaned against the kitchen counter, his face showing the conflict in his thoughts. "Damon, she's never dated anyone else."

"What are you talking about? I've seen her with other guys."

"At red carpets, awards, things like that. But they've always been co-stars."

"What about that Mark dude?"

Stefan laughed. "She wasn't his type. He hit on _me." _He took a breath and slowly released it. "Damon, the two of you needed to be in the same place at the same time. I decided to give you a chance. Merry Christmas, brother." And Stefan walked out of the room.

All this time, he'd convinced himself that his mistake was buried in the past. He'd moved on. So had everyone else. But here and now, he understood just how untrue that was.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: In a perfect world, I'll admit that this story would probably have continued on for 5 – 6 more chapters. However, like everyone else, my world's not exactly perfect. Just before Christmas, my husband accepted a job that's requiring a massive relocation. While I'm happy about the opportunity, I really need to be packing and not writing. Since I didn't want to make this Christmas story drag into spring, this will have to be the final true chapter (and epilogue will be posted tomorrow). I hope you'll give me some leeway in the idea of the magic of Christmas helping heal old wounds.

Rating: Teen, Stefan, alcohol use, mild language

* * *

"What are you doing?" A blurry-eyed Stefan stumbled into the living room, giving Damon a questioning look.

Damon probably deserved it. Two a.m. was probably a little late for watching home videos, but he'd run out of things to do a little after midnight. For the first time in his life, he didn't want a drink to stifle his pain. He deserved to feel that too. He knew just how much he'd hurt Elena. He'd been able to see it in the stiff set of her jaw and the way she squared her shoulders and the way she left before she completely broke down in front of him.

"I really screwed up." Damon paused the video just as a smiling Elena came into view from behind an oversized snowman. They'd spent the majority of the afternoon making the snow village, even though Damon protested they were much too old for it. Elena insisted. They didn't always get much snow in Mystic Falls, but that night they'd gotten almost a foot. When he'd arrived at Elena's house to take her to the movies, she'd had other plans. He never expected something as simple to be that much fun. Even with the video paused, he could hear her laughter in his memory.

Stefan leaned over the back of the chair, alternating between looking at his brother and staring at the image on the television. "You're just now figuring that out?"

Damon fought the urge to throw the remote at the gloating expression on Stefan's face. "So I'm a little slow. I thought I was doing the noble thing. It would have helped if you'd clued me in to your…type."

"After Dad caught me with Klaus?" Stefan paused. "Not a chance."

Damon studied the expression on his brother's face. Typically, their father saved most of his rage for Damon, but given the haunted image in Stefan's eyes, Damon had missed something one day when he was gone. Damn, he should have been there. Protecting Stefan from their father was his responsibility. He'd promised their mother…and he failed there too.

That was a discussion for another day. He could only focus on one mistake in the past at a time. Finally, he met his brother's eyes and simply said, "I'm sorry."

"So am I." Stefan drummed his fingers on the back of the chair. "But that's over." He gave a wry smile. "Maybe I can tell Klaus it's safe to move back in…"

"Sure." Damon nodded.

"You have a bigger problem on your hands." Stefan took a breath. "She's not gone yet. You have five days till she leaves, make them count."

* * *

"I shouldn't be here. Not today." Elena glanced over her shoulder as she followed Jenna to the car. One too many sets of eyes were still fixed on her, even after they left the coffee shop. She wanted to tell herself that it was just famous-person-syndrome, but she hadn't encountered it to this degree during the whole time she'd been back in Mystic Falls.

She'd stared at the date on her phone when she rolled out of bed, mentally ticking off yet another sleepless night. Part of her had wanted to just pull the covers over her head and pretend she was sick, but that was before Delaney and Brenna decided to have a pillow fight using her pillows.

After a morning spent polishing 30 fingernails and 30 toenails, followed by braiding two heads of hair, Elena thought the day might be salvageable after all. When Jenna suggested going out for coffee, it actually sounded kind of pleasant.

She'd thought wrong.

"Elena, you're imagining things." Jenna pulled her keys out of her purse and unlocked the car as they tried not to skid on the slippery sidewalk. A hint of snow was in the air, and it had already started to stick on the ground. This was Mystic Falls. Why did it snow twice in the same week?

Elena approached the door and tugged it open. "So tell me, was I imagining Liz Forbes giving me a hug and telling me I was so strong to be here today?" She mimicked the sheriff's sad smile. "You were in the bathroom at the time."

Jenna bit her lip and frowned, easing herself behind the wheel of the car. "Well, maybe you weren't imagining things, but that doesn't mean you had to hole yourself up in the house."

"That's why we went for coffee?"

"Elena, you needed to get out. Face this day." She spoke like a high school counselor. Elena had to wonder how many times she'd given variations of this little motivational speech…because it seriously wasn't working.

"I should go." Elena sighed, blowing into her too-hot coffee. "Carol would love it if I left, then they'd only have one star to show off."

"But then who would do Brenna's hair tomorrow?"

"Caroline." Elena didn't even have to take time to think about it, since she'd already spent half the night working out the details. She knew her friend would be more than happy to curl Brenna's hair. "And she's even better at it than I am."

"Elena…." Jenna had resorted to the exasperated tone she perfected in Elena's senior of high school. She turned the car onto their street, shaking her head. Before she could finish whatever she planned to say, her eyebrows knit together. Taking a breath, she continued, "Yeah. Maybe you should go."

She parked the car without another word, her silence saying more than any lecture could. Jenna got out and slammed the door with an echo they likely heard back at the coffee shop. The two women walked up the sidewalk. At first, it seemed like Jenna was going to ignore him, instead she paused directly in front of Damon as he sat on the porch swing. "If you're here…today…then you'd better be damn sure you know what you're doing."

Damon didn't flinch under the weight of her stare. "I do."

Jenna stood on the porch for the span of another breath. She glanced back at Elena who stood frozen a few feet from the steps. Her cheeks flushed to match the red in her hair. "I hope so. For both your sakes." She walked into the house without another word.

Elena couldn't decide what to do, but standing in the middle of the sidewalk while tiny bits of ice pelleted down wasn't exactly an option. She'd been counting on Jenna to chase Damon off. And yet, there he sat.

He slowly got to his feet, and she could see the unusual pallor to his cheeks. He'd been sitting in the cold for a while. He moved haltingly to the edge of the porch. The cocky movie star was gone. The man standing in front of her seemed…scared. "I screwed up. Badly." She couldn't tell if the coarseness to his voice was from the cold or emotion.

"You can say that again."

So he did. "I screwed up. Six years ago today, I made the biggest mistake ever. And I can't fix it, but I can apologize."

"Damon. It's too late." Elena backed even farther down the sidewalk.

"Just give me one day. One day when we pretend the last years didn't happen. Please." And then he gave the puppy-dog stare that always made her melt. The one that made her say yes to him in the first place. The one that was probably responsible for Brenna's birth, if Elena were totally honest with herself.

The question hung in the air. Elena wasn't sure if either of them even took a breath. Their past and their future mingled together in that one moment.

Elena gave a hesitant nod. "One day."

* * *

And what a day it was.

Nothing special. Just a reminder of what they used to have.

Elena didn't even walk into the house. Instead, she turned and followed Damon to his car. It even smelled exactly the same. She was instantly awash in memories.

Damon cooked lunch.

Took a walk in the snow.

They both pretended like the last 5 years hadn't happened.

The problem was, they had. And the time spent apart hung over them like a cloud of fog. Not so much that it obscured what was happening, but enough that it colored every attempt at conversation.

Before, they knew every last detail about the other. Now, though, so much time had passed, it was far too easy to tread on slippery ground. Finally, Damon decided on a conversation topic that wouldn't bring up _their_ past, but it would hopefully help him understand the Elena who sat next to him in front of the fire. "So what happened on the set?"

"Who said anything happened?"

"I know you're not sleeping."

"Remind me to kill your brother." Elena shuffled, readjusting the blanket that lay over her legs. She rolled her eyes, and Damon had to admit that it was nice to have her anger directed at someone else for a change. Her hand brushed against his leg, and she didn't immediately pull away.

Her casual movements felt so much like the old days, they almost physically hurt, especially since Damon knew he couldn't really let the conversation drop. "But what happened?"

He almost thought she wasn't going to answer. Her shoulder stiffened, and he was afraid that the best afternoon he'd spent in recent memory was over. But then she started talking. "It was just…intense."

And she explained about the director who should probably be considered criminally insane. She told him about what it was like to basically be dropped in as close to a real concentration-camp-experience as she ever wanted to endure. She averted her eyes as she spoke about the older, and extremely famous, cast member who got a little too much enjoyment out of tormenting the young women in the movie.

As the lead, she got to spend a lot of time with him. If she told half of what happened, the press would eat it up, but her career would be over. So she didn't talk to anyone about it…until now.

Damon's blood boiled. The next time he saw David, and there would definitely be a next time, he'd have a long conversation with her manager about why he knowingly let Elena stay in that type of environment. No award was worth that type of treatment.

Elena's phone vibrated, interrupting the moment. "I've gotta go. I promised Jenna I'd watch the girls so they could go out for dinner." Ric's on his way to pick me up.

"Let me come too." Damon's words sounded far more like a plea than what he'd intended.

"Sorry." Her brown eyes looked more conflicted than he'd ever seen them. "I can't. Not until I know where this is going." She paused at the door. "Good night."

"Good night." Damon leaned against the door after it closed behind her. He almost hadn't believed his ears. She thought _this _might be going somewhere.

* * *

Elena had to admit, Carol Lockwood's team had outdone themselves this year at the ball. Of course, since Carol had invited the media to witness the celebrity duo, she had to make sure her house shone like never before.

And it did.

Candles.

Silver and gold balls mixed with greenery so fresh it smelled like the event was being held in the pine forest.

Not even the foot-deep snow dared to put a damper on the evening. In fact, it seemed to add to the festive air. Everyone who was anyone in Mystic Falls was there, but all the partygoers didn't hold a candle to the festive group who'd greeted the residents of Ric and Jenna's house this morning.

A family of snowmen smiled up from the center of the yard. Jenna had barely caught hold of the girls before they ran out into the snow while only clad in their pajamas. The girls were convinced Santa's elves had been at work in the yard, but the rose in the outstretched hand of the largest snowman told her who'd been at work overnight.

She had to fight not to look at him now. Eye contact had always been her weakness. She could feel his eyes on her now…just like he'd been watching her as she'd arrived…and as she'd been introduced as one of the honored guests. Focus on the chicken—the dry-as-a-desert fundraiser appropriate chicken. Trying to choke it down would keep her thoughts appropriately away from the man who was seated directly opposite from her.

Maybe dessert would be the dinner's redeeming feature. They couldn't spoil dessert…could they? But when it came, the do-it-yourself s'more's plate only served to remind her of the laughter she'd shared as Damon had unintentionally lit his marshmallow on fire and almost ignited the treasured rug in the middle of the living room less than two days ago.

She pushed her plate away, untouched.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Carol moved to the center of the room, rescuing Elena from trying not to stare back at the blue eyes currently fixed upon her. "Thank you so much for joining us here tonight. As you know, this even caps off a highly successful few weeks of fundraising for a cause we all hold dear."

And that was Stefan's cue. He started a slide show to inform everyone of exactly how much had been raised, how much still needed to be raised, and the first sketches of the new wing of the hospital.

Elena fought hard to focus, but she'd been privy to all the behind-the-scenes work already. She knew about the grand plans. That was why she was here.

At least she thought it was.

But the more she fought to keep her eyes from locking with Damon's, the more she had to wonder if her best friend's suggestion that she return to Mystic Falls for the holidays had been less about the hospital and more about things far closer to home.

"And, now, it's time for the announcement we've all been waiting for." Carol turned in Brenna's direction, and Elena laughed as the little girl tried to keep her excitement under control. "The ambassador for next year will be Brenna Saltzman."

Brenna stood in her chair and took a bow. The picture of health now, it was almost impossible to tell that she'd ever been sick. Her pink cheeks flushed with happiness as she held onto Ric's hand. The ringlets of curls surrounding her face were perfect, thanks to a visit from Caroline, and the baby's breath in her hair gave her an angelic look – perfect for the Christmas-time gathering. The deep blue dress only served to bring out the blue of her eyes. As the cameras flashed, she gave a smile that was identical to her father's crooked grin. Only then did Elena chance a look at Damon.

And the expression on his face as he gazed at their daughter almost broke her heart.

"And now the dance floor is open." Carol's words rescued Elena from what threatened to be a too-emotional moment. The partygoers gave Brenna one last round of applause as they moved to the dance floor.

Brenna scurried to Elena's side. "Did you see me?"

"How could I not?" Elena twisted an errant ringlet around her finger.

Damon approached the pair from his spot at the table across the room. Elena felt a flush rising in her cheeks. "May I have this dance?"

Elena looked at the sheer number of cameras pointing in their direction. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Sorry." He tilted his head and gave her an earnest look. "I wasn't talking to you."

"Brenna?" He bowed with exaggerated politeness in front of the giggling preschooler.

After one nod from Elena, Brenna took hold of Damon's hand and followed him onto the dance floor.

* * *

Brenna had been charmed by _Uncle Damon. _She was so smitten by him that by the time they'd left the dance floor, he'd managed to wrangle an invitation to Christmas Eve dinner out of her.

And that's how he and Stefan ended up at Jenna and Ric's house on Christmas Eve. After an epically-long game of Monopoly Junior proceeded by a Candyland marathon, the little girls had finally been persuaded to take their baths so they can get ready for the arrival of Santa Claus.

Amid much giggling and only two hot chocolate spills, the cookies and carrots had been set out on a table in front of the roaring fireplace – and Roxie was strongly cautioned that those cookies didn't belong to her, much to the black lab's chagrin. As the official photographer of the evening, Elena happily snapped pictures of the evening's festivities, all the while very much aware of the presence of the two Salvatores in the corner of the living room.

Elena still wasn't certain why they were still here.

But they were.

Damon and Ric had disappeared into the kitchen during the game of Pretty, Pretty, Princess. Elena wasn't sure what they discussed, but the low tones had a serious inflection. By the time the men returned to the room with the rest of the family, things seemed less strained than they had been mere hours earlier.

After threats that the reindeer had been sighted not too far away, and promises that everyone would be in bed before Santa's arrival, Brenna and Delaney were finally asleep‑much too close to midnight for Jenna to be happy.

"All clear?" Stefan set his beer down on the coffee table and raised an eyebrow at Ric.

Ric paused and looked up the stairs, listening closely. "I think so."

"I thought they were never going to bed." Jenna massaged her temples as she relaxed in the corner of the couch.

"You coming?" Stefan glanced at Damon before Ric followed the pair out the front door.

"What are they doing?" It was far too late for any surprises. Elena craned her neck to see where the men were disappearing to out the front door.

Jenna gave her a wry smile. "Carefully guarded secret." The front door opened with a muffled thud, and each of the men had their arms filled with a variety of plastic bags. "The girls have gotten sneaky."

"So we hid everything at Stefan's." Ric finished his wife's sentence.

"Smart." Elena nodded at Jenna.

"And now we have two extra sets of hands to assemble everything." Ric laughed softly.

The group of adults settled into toy assembly. Ric and Damon wielded screwdrivers since both girls had requested bicycles this year. Stefan assisted Jenna in the construction of a pink plastic kitchen that was on Delaney's wish list while Elena handled sticker application on each of the toys. Just when Elena was beginning to wonder if they'd still be working on the toys when the girls came rushing down the stairs the next morning, Jenna declared the project done.

Damon took a seat on the couch, finishing the last of his drink, while the others surveyed their work. He was more than a little surprised when Elena dropped onto the couch next to him. She leaned back in her seat, a tired smile on her face.

Soft conversation swirled around them as Elena leaned to the side and nestled against Damon's shoulder.

"Looks like our work here is done." Stefan entered the room with his coat thrown over his arm. He cast a questioning look in Damon's direction. Elena hadn't opened her eyes. "Is she asleep?"

Damon listened to Elena's soft and slow breathing. "I think so." And then he knew what his Christmas gift would be. "Do you mind if I stay the night?" He held up one hand. "I promise I won't try anything." He blinked. "I'm too tired for that, but I want her to sleep for once. And I'll make breakfast."

Jenna pursed her lips but turned to face Ric.

"He'll make breakfast."

"The girls like pancakes." Jenna didn't look fully convinced.

"It's a deal." Damon tucked a blanket around Elena's shoulders and waved to Stefan as he left the house. Jenna and Ric turned off the lights to the living room and walked up the stairs, leaving him alone with Elena asleep on his shoulder.

He was fairly certain that she would sleep the entire night away…until the largest log on the fire decided to crash to the ground of the fireplace. Damon was just nodding off when Elena awoke with a start. "What?"

"You fell asleep." Damon squeezed his hand, trying to restore the feeling to his fingers.

"I can see that." Elena rubbed the side of her neck. "Where did everyone go?"

"Stefan left. The girls are upstairs. So are Jenna and Ric." Damon leaned forward and looked at the clock. He'd never been great about waiting…or keeping secrets. Keeping this one for the past day had almost been too much for him. He ran his hand over her arm, happy that she didn't pull away. "Merry Christmas."

Elena blinked, still not fully awake. "Merry Christmas?"

Damon took a breath. He'd planned on this next conversation to happen much later in the day, but somehow the timing felt right. "I didn't exactly get you a present."

"That's fine. You didn't need to." She smiled apologetically. "I didn't have a chance to get you one either."

Elena started to stand to her feet, but Damon caught her hand. "I have a confession to make." He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "Not a day has gone by that I haven't regretted leaving." He stared into her chocolate-brown eyes.

"Damon, I…"

He held up an index finger, causing her to pause. "I think it's close enough to morning, don't you?"

Reaching back behind him, he took hold of his coat from where he'd been carefully guarding it all night. Damon reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box. Elena's eyes grew wide as he dropped down onto one knee. "I never stopped loving you, Elena."

He opened the box, revealing a sparkling diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

"You know I will." Elena slid the ring onto her finger before she leaned down to meet his lips with hers.

* * *

Author's note: Stay tuned for a BRIEF epilogue tomorrow.


	8. Epilogue

Author's note: Here it is…the end. Thanks for coming along on the ride. I've really enjoyed sharing a little bit of DE's world with y'all again.

Rating: Teen – Stefan, alcohol use, mild language

Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any of its characters. I'm just borrowing them for a bit.

* * *

Elena rested her cheek against her palm and surveyed the scene in front of her. Clad in matching deep blue satin dresses that actually fit, despite not having the opportunity to try them on, Brenna and Delaney chased each other in a circle, using their miniature sunflower bouquets as some type of magic wands. Perhaps there had actually been some degree of real magic at work tonight.

They'd managed to pull it off.

She'd honestly had her doubts. Once Oscar-winner became affixed to her name, and the producer of _Casablanca _decided to give the movie another chance, their lives had suddenly become incredibly complicated.

Still, after they arrived in Mystic Falls for a brief visit between the movie's wrap and the press tour, Elena didn't think Jenna was quite prepared for the announcement that Damon and Elena were getting married…in two days. Showing Jenna the bridal gown and the dresses for the two flower girls helped the gravity of the situation sink in rather quickly. And they needed that speed, since the wedding countdown was already ticking away. When Jenna balked, Elena informed her that it was the quick wedding in the Gilbert backyard or they'd be eloping—they'd already decided they had no other options.

And they did it. No fuss. No huge ceremony. Most of all, no paparazzi.

Just the people that Damon and Elena wanted to be there…and they all made it. Even Jeremy and Bonnie managed to wrangle a last-minute flight from Denver. The wedding was every bit as perfect, and as private, as Elena had hoped.

A warm hand rested almost immediately in the small of her back. "We did it." Damon's lips brushed her forehead with a quick kiss.

_Mmm hmmm. _Elena sighed in reply.

"You surprised?" Damon's eyes held a hint of uncertainty. He wasn't just asking about if she'd been amazed they'd actually pulled off a wedding with 48 hours' notice.

"No." She spun under his hand and turned to face him, wrapping her hands around the neck of her new husband. "Not at all." She leaned forward, seeking a more substantial kiss.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" A glass clinked in the distance, and judging by the expression on Damon's face, Stefan was well-aware of his poor sense of timing. "Thank you all for being here. As best man, it's typically my job to give a long and inspiring speech about what an amazing couple the bride and groom are filled with examples of how much they love each other…and a few embarrassing moments. However," Stefan grinned as Elena turned to face him, "they didn't exactly give me enough time to plan one. So," he held up his glass, "here's to Mr. and Mrs. Damon Salvatore."

All around the room, champagne glasses were raised into the air. Damon swiftly checked the contents of Elena's glass…no bubbles. Giving her the crooked grin she liked best, he held his glass to his lips and swallowed.

The toast given, the guests at the party broke into small clusters of conversation. No one seemed to be in too much of a hurry to leave, and Elena was perfectly fine with that. Damon placed a kiss at the nape of her neck before wandering through the crowd in search of his brother.

"Aren't you two in a hurry?" Jenna approached from across the yard where she'd been trying to convince the girls that their grape juice didn't need bubbles during the toast.

"A hurry?" Elena repeated.

"To go wherever you're going…" Jenna gestured in the direction of the well-decorated car parked on her curb. Elena wasn't sure who was responsible for the _Just Married _sign or the decorations dangling from the bumper, but she guessed that Jeremy might be paying her back for filling his car with balloons two years earlier.

"Oh," Elena leaned against the table, kicking her heels off, "we're actually not going that far. Just about five houses down."

"What?" Ric joined the conversation.

"I thought we told you." Elena flinched. "We bought the house on the corner."

Damon returned to Elena's side, wrapping his arm around her waist. "We thought it was time to settle down a little."

A curious expression flashed over Jenna's face. Elena noticed Jenna had been staring at her…and her glass…during the toast. Now a knowing smirk came to her lips. "When are you due?"

Elena blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Come on Elena." Jenna shook her head. "I saw your glass. Damon switched yours out for the same thing the girls are drinking."

Elena felt the color rising to her cheeks, but it was Damon who answered. "February 14th, to be exact."

Ric laughed. "I guess this will be a memorable Valentine's Day."

"One last family picture." Klaus waved for Bonnie and Jeremy to join Ric and Jenna. "Brenna and Delaney, you two get over here."

Damon stood behind Elena with his arms wrapped around her waist. Jenna held hands with Ric on one side of the newlyweds while Jeremy draped an arm over Bonnie's shoulder on the other. Brenna and Delaney tried their best to act serious and composed but collapsed into a fit of giggles during the first attempt at the photo.

For the first time in a very long time, Elena didn't mind posing for a photograph. This was one she'd happily frame and hang above the mantle in their new house.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Salvatore." Damon whispered.

"Why thank you, Mr. Salvatore." Elena teased.

"Ready to go home?" Damon practically growled into her ear.

Elena faced him and grinned. "I've been ready for a very long time."

* * *

Author's note (part 2): And with that, I'm signing off. I've had a lot of questions as to whether this story means I'm returning to the world of fanfic. At the present time, I can't say that I am. Once the move is over, and if deadlines and edits permit, perhaps I'll drop in for a short story or two. I'll try, but for now, I'd just like to say thank you to all who have read this story and to the other members of the Author to Author Christmas Exchange for allowing me to take part in such a fun gathering again this season.

Thanks for reading!


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